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El Ciudadano

Original article: Pacientes abandonados en hospitales evidencian crisis de cuidados en Chile

During her presentation before the Senate Health Commission, Health Minister May Chomali raised alarming concerns regarding patients who remain in hospitals after being discharged, mainly due to a lack of family, community, or institutional support for ongoing care outside medical facilities.

Beyond the impact of her statements, these patients fit a specific socio-sanitary profile. Their acute conditions have stabilized, yet they cannot leave hospitals because they lack social support and caregiving, explained Carolina Riveros Ferrada, an academic from the Faculty of Legal and Social Sciences at the University of Talca.

Riveros noted that the semiannual report from the Division of Health Network Management (2024) documented 886 active cases nationwide, with 798 patients still in hospital settings and 88 occupying extra-system beds.

For the specialist, this situation should be viewed beyond the immediate health urgency and hospital bed usage.

“We are definitely dealing with a care issue here,” Professor Carolina Riveros stated, emphasizing that these individuals are vulnerable and do not require clinical medical attention, but rather need companionship, supervision, and basic living conditions outside hospital walls.

Aging Factor

Although the socio-sanitary category is not limited to older adults, the University of Talca academic highlighted data indicating that aging is a central issue in this reality: the same report shows that 71% of the cases involve individuals aged 60 and above.

According to Riveros, what is emerging here is “the tip of the iceberg of a much more serious problem,” as behind these numbers are individuals who “are alone, lacking networks, which also leads to further health issues.”

In light of this, the expert stressed the need to advance the implementation of Law 21.805, related to the right to care. In her opinion, the challenge lies not only in increasing state responses but also in accepting broader social responsibilities. She reminded that “there are ethical and legal obligations within families and communities.”

The professor further added that the issue compels us to reconsider how the country addresses aging.

“We need to change, ultimately, aspects that are more than legal or economic; they are social matters,” the researcher declared, suggesting that Chile must strengthen instruments, resources, and networks to prevent elderly care from being associated with abandonment or prolonged hospital stays.

The situation of an elderly person facing abandonment casts a negative light on society, underscored the academic from the University of Talca.

Thus, she warned that the discussion sparked by these cases not only challenges the healthcare system but also questions the nation’s ability to care for all its members with dignity. “Families, communities, and the state must collaborate to protect each person’s rights,” concluded Professor Carolina Riveros.

The Citizen

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